Fabaceae
Rhynchosia

Rhynchosia holstii Harms

First published in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 26: 306 (1899)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Kenya to S. Tropical Africa. It is a climbing perennial and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Leguminosae, J. B. Gillett, R. M. Polhill & B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1971

Morphology General Habit
Perennial climbing or trailing herb with several stems ± 1 m. long from a woody rootstock.
Morphology Stem
Stems often robust, ridged, pubescent particularly on the ridges.
Morphology Leaves
Leaflets 3, rhomboid, the laterals oblique, 1–5·5 cm. long, 0·7–4·5 cm. wide, obtuse or subacute at the apex, rounded at the base, sparsely to densely grey pubescent on both sides, gland-dotted beneath, slightly rugose above; petiole 0·6–5·5 cm. long; rhachis 1·5–8 mm. long; petiolules 0·5–2 mm. long; stipules oblong-elliptic, often reflexed, 4–7 mm. long, 2–3·5 mm. wide, veined, hairy.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences axillary; rhachis 5–10 cm. long; peduncle 2·5–5 cm. long; pedicels 2 mm. long; bracts often ± persistent, lanceolate, 3 mm. long, 1–1·5 mm. wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx pubescent and glandular; tube 2·5–3 mm. long; lobes lanceolate, 4–10 mm. long, the lowest longest and widest, the upper pair joined together for ± half to two-thirds of their length.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Standard yellow with pale reddish-purple veining, broadly obovate, 0·9–1·8 cm. long, 0·7–1·3 cm. wide, pubescent and glandular; wings bright yellow; keel greenish.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Pods blackish, oblong, 1–1·5 cm. long, 4–5 mm. wide, densely pubescent and glandular.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds black or reddish-brown mottled with black, oblong-reniform, longest dimension 2·5–3·2 mm., shorter dimension 2–2·5 mm., 1·2 mm. thick.
Habitat
Grassland, grassland with scattered trees, recently cleared forest areas, also swamps and cultivated ground; said to be a pioneer on recently burnt land; (? 500–) 900–2190 m.
Distribution
K4 K6 T3 T5 T6 U4
[FTEA]

Leguminosae, B. Mackinder, R. Pasquet, R. Polhill and B. Verdcourt. Flora Zambesiaca 3:5. 2001

Morphology General Habit
Perennial climbing or trailing herb with several stems 0.3–1 m long from a woody rootstock.
Morphology Stem
Stems often robust, ridged, pubescent particularly on the ridges.
Morphology Leaves Leaflets
Leaflets 3, 1–5.5 × 0.7–4.5 cm, rhombic, the laterals oblique, obtuse or subacute at the apex, rounded at the base, sparsely to densely grey pubescent on both sides, gland-dotted beneath, slightly rugose above; petiole 0.6–5.5 cm long; rhachis 1.5–8 mm long; petiolules 0.5–2 mm long; stipules 4–7 × 2–3.5 mm, oblong-elliptic, often reflexed, veined, hairy.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences axillary; rhachis 5–10 cm long; peduncle 2.5–5 cm long; pedicels 2 mm long; bracts often ± persistent, 3 × 1–1.5 mm, lanceolate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx pubescent and glandular; tube 2.5–3 mm long; lobes 4–10 mm long, lanceolate, the lowest longest and widest, the upper pair joined together for ± half to two-thirds of their length.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Standard yellow with pale reddish-purple veining, 9–18 × 7–13 mm, broadly obovate, pubescent and glandular; wings bright yellow; keel greenish.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Pods blackish, 10–15 × 4–5 mm, oblong, densely pubescent and glandular.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds black or reddish-brown mottled with black, 2.5–3.2 × 2–2.5 × 1.2 mm, oblong-reniform.
[FZ]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation
Not Threatened
Ecology
Africa: Somalia-Masai grasslands, Zambezian grassland, Somalia-Masai wooded grasslands., Lake Victoria regional mosaic; wooded grassland
Morphology General Habit
Perennial, Climbing/Not climbing, Herb
[ILDIS]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • International Legume Database and Information Service

    • International Legume Database and Information Service (ILDIS) V10.39 Nov 2011
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • World Checklist of Vascular plants (WCVP)

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0